Director Michael Ritchie died April 16th at the age of 62. A Wisconsin native, Ritchie studied at Harvard before succumbing to the attractions of the theatre. He started working in television during the 1960s where he directed episodes of The Big Valley and The Man from UNCLE among others. He moved into feature films with Downhill Racer (1969) at star Robert Redford's invitation and later directed Redford again in The Candidate (1972). The latter is a classic look at American political life that hasn't lost any of its power or insights over the years. This was the start of Ritchie's most productive period when he made several films that were both popular and critically acclaimed. You can find his sly wit and sense of critical drama in Smile (1975), The Bad News Bears (1976) and Semi-Tough (1978). By the 1980s, though, Ritchie's films focused less on social criticism and more on stars. The Survivors (1983) with Robin Williams remains under-rated but Ritchie-directed vehicles for Eddie Murphy (1986's The Golden Child), Bette Midler (1980's Divine Madness) and Chevy Chase (two Fletch films) didn't quite achieve their potential. Some of the old Ritchie spark and intelligence appeared in the made-for-cable The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom (1993) which earned him a Directors Guild Award. One of his final films was the long-awaited screen adaptation of The Fantasticks (1995) which partly brought Ritchie back to his theatrical roots.
ANN SOTHERN: 1909 - 2001
Actress Ann Sothern passed away on March 15th at the age of 89. Her film career spanned sixty years and included a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination for The Whales of August (1987) and several Emmy nominations for her roles in the TV shows Private Secretary (1953) and The Ann Sothern Show (1958). Sothern was born as Harriette Lake in North Dakota. She made her first film appearance in 1927 in small roles (so small, in fact, that some sources omit any films before 1929) before deciding to work on Broadway instead. Shortly afterwards she signed with Columbia Pictures where studio head Harry Cohn insisted she change her name because there were already too many actors with the last name of Lake. So "Ann" came from her mother's name Annette and "Sothern" from Shakespearean actor E.H. Sothern. For most of the 1930s she appeared in light comedies working with Eddie Cantor, Maurice Chevalier, Mickey Rooney and Fredric March. However, it wasn't until she switched to MGM (after a brief period with RKO) and made the film Maisie (1939) that Sothern hit pay dirt. It proved enormously popular and led to a series of nine more films through 1947 when she moved into dramas and musicals. During the 50s, Sothern made a mark with her TV series but returned to mostly second tier movies in the 1960s and 1970s. Finally she earned an Oscar nomination for her work in 1987's The Whales of August (in which, incidentally, her daughter Tisha Sterling played her at an earlier age). Turner Classic Movies plans to host a retrospective film tribute to her in July. Check back for details in June.
Fletch Lives
Brief Synopsis
Fletch, the investigative journalist, goes to Louisiana for a vacation and finds himself involved in some local intrigue.
Cast & Crew
Read More
Michael Ritchie
Director
Chevy Chase
Hal Holbrook
Patricia Kalember
Julianne Phillips
Don Brockett
Film Details
Also Known As
Fletch 2, Fletch II, Fletch är tillbaka
MPAA Rating
Genre
Comedy
Romance
Sequel
Thriller
Release Date
1989
Production Company
John Agalsoff
Distribution Company
Universal Pictures
Location
Universal City Studios, Los Angeles, California, USA; Lafourche Parish, Louisiana, USA; Kaufman Astoria Studios, Astoria, New York, USA; New Jersey, USA
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 35m
Synopsis
Fletch, the investigative journalist, goes to Louisiana for a vacation and finds himself involved in some local intrigue.
Cast
Chevy Chase
Hal Holbrook
Patricia Kalember
Julianne Phillips
Don Brockett
Catherine Hearne
Louis M Rapaport
Patrick Farrelly
Richard Belzer
Clarence Landry
William Traylor
Barney D Arceneaux
George Wyner
Richard Libertini
Robert M Dawson
Richmond Harrison
Matthew Kimbrough
R David Smith
Don Hood
Grace Gaynor
Randall Cobb
R Bruce Elliott
Michael P Moran
Constance Shulman
Cleavon Little
Charlie Holliday
Robert Silver
Geoffrey Lewis
Randall Cobb
Ebbe Roe Smith
Richard M Kristy
Lead Person
Darren Dublin
Tom Mccleister
Johnny Kline
Keith R Mills
Roy Babich
Noelle Beck
Phil Hartman
Mary Battilana
Walter Charles
Titos Vandis
John Wylie
Dennis Burkley
Marcella Lowery
Christian Kauffman
Jordan Lund
Dick Mcgarvin
Patricia G Mcconnell
Crew
Joshua Abeles
Production Assistant
Tony Adler
Assistant Director
Greg Agalsoff
Boom Operator
John Agalsoff
Cable Operator
Susan Agnoff
Accounting Assistant
Jim Alexander
Sound
Rick Alexander
Sound
Barbara Amato
Script Supervisor
Kokayi Ampah
Location Manager
Audie Aragon
Dolly Grip
Dick Austin
Transportation Captain
Bob Badami
Music Editor
Sandina Bailo-lape
Sound Editor
Wayne Baker
Visual Effects
Matilde Balera
Accountant
Nicole Barnum
Art Department Coordinator
Michael Bedard
Sound
Karen Bellamy
Costumes
Tom Bellfort
Adr Editor
Dennis Benatar
Location Manager
John Bensberg
Craft Service
Cindy Berenson
Other
John V Bernardi
Construction
Lynette Bernay
Assistant
Nicholas Bernstein
Location Assistant
Cameron Birnie
Art Director
Melissa Dietz Bloom
Sound Editor
Jimmie Bly
Art Director
Brent Boates
Visual Effects
Susan Bode
Set Decorator
Bruce Bodner
Executive Producer
Gloria S Borders
Sound Editor
Blair Boswel
Production Assistant
Merideth Boswell
Art Department
Steve Boyd
Transportation Coordinator
Carol Brandi
Sound Editor
Conrad F Brink
Special Effects
Brian P Brophy
On-Set Dresser
Norman Buck
Key Grip
Cheryl Burton
Assistant
Paul Calabria
Animal Trainer
Leonidas Capetanos
Screenplay
Philip Caplan
Camera Operator
Michael Caracciolo
Assistant Camera Operator
Richard Castleman
Casting
Henry Charleston
Electrician
Ken Chase
Makeup
Stephen Clark
Grip
Thomas F Costich
Costumes
Peter Craig
Production Assistant
Fernando Cubillas
Production Assistant
Tanya Sharp David
Adr Mixer
Jonathan Decamp
Production Assistant
Joseph Dehn
Costumes
Ruth Doering
Costumes
Peter Douglas
Producer
Liz Dubelman
Assistant Camera Operator
Stanley Dural
Song
Steve Ellsworth
Costumes
Dana Embree
Wardrobe Assistant
Michael Fabiano
Grip
Harold Faltermeyer
Music
Diamond Farnsworth
Stunts
Joel Fein
Sound
Gary Fettis
Set Decorator
Scott R. Fisher
Special Effects
Judie Fixler
Casting Associate
Glenn Forbes
Props
Walt Fraser
Assistant Camera
Clare Freeman
Sound Editor
Steve Gage
Dolly Grip
Roz Galzer
Assistant
Dennis Garper
Grip
Peter Garzero
Other
Gilbert Gertsen
Carpenter
James Giblin
Other
Earl Gilbert
Gaffer
Steve Gilbert
Electrician
Robert Good
On-Set Dresser
W Steven Graham
Art Director
Richard Graves
Assistant Director
Michael Green
Assistant Camera Operator
Richard E Greene
Other
Romaine Greene
Hair
Alan Greisman
Producer
Jo Grossman
Accountant
Pat Grosswendt
Electrician
Rainer Gruetzmacher
Foreman
Rick Gunter
Dp/Cinematographer
Rick Gunter
Director Of Photography
Rhio Haessig
Best Boy
Gregory G. Hale
Production Assistant
William G Hall
Foreman
Thomas E Halligan
Grip
Alan Harding
Visual Effects
Barbara Harris
Casting
Mitchell A Harris
Assistant Editor
Richard A Harris
Editor
Richard A Harris
Associate Producer
Kerry Hayes
Photography
Stephen Hendrickson
Consultant
Sue Hessel
Casting Consultant
Gary H Hester
Foreman
Howard R Hester
Construction Coordinator
Phil Hetos
Color Timer
Karen D Higgins
Construction
Ron High
Assistant Camera Operator
Kathy Hirsch
Production Assistant
Ronald A Jacobs
Sound Editor
Amy Jennings
Accountant
James E. Johnson
Transportation Captain
Lionel A Johnson
Transportation Co-Captain
Michael Johnson
Production Assistant
Anna Hill Johnstone
Costume Designer
Horace B Jordan
Assistant Camera Operator
Enid L Kantor
Production Coordinator
Mitchell Kaplan
Assistant
Jane Kass
Assistant Editor
Angela Kaye
Assistant
Richard Kratina
Camera Operator
Neil Krepla
Visual Effects
Ted Kurdyla
Unit Production Manager
Wang Lab
Assistant
Margaret Labry
Production Assistant
Alan Landaker
Video
Hal Landaker
Video
Angie Lane
Casting Associate
Bonney Langfitt
Wardrobe Assistant
Norman Langley
Camera Operator
Robert Larson
Executive Producer
Robert Larson
Production Manager
Adena Lazan
Production Assistant
Les Lazarowitz
Sound
Daniel Leahy
Sound
John Leone
Foreman
Robert B Lindsay
Foreman
William Loger
Costume Supervisor
Elaine Luger
Assistant
Joshua Malina
Production Assistant
James Malone
Best Boy
Daniel Marano
Production Assistant
Elliot Marks
Photography
Jim Marquette
Assistant Camera Operator
Louis Marquis
Other
Pat Marshall
Rigging Gaffer
Penney May
Apprentice
Bernadette Mazur
Makeup
Richard Mazzotti
Other
Buddy Mcbride
Electrician
Robert M Mcclung
Production Assistant
Patricia Mcconnell
Casting Associate
Tom Mcdermott
Props
Gregory Mcdonald
Characters As Source Material
Jim Mcgrath
Dolly Grip
Patrick Mcguire
Production Assistant
Brian Mcpherson
Assistant Camera Operator
John Mcpherson
Director Of Photography
John Mcpherson
Dp/Cinematographer
Peter Merwin
Assistant Director
Tom Miller
Makeup
Michael Mills
Makeup
Bob Miyamoto
Grip
Patricia Mock
Casting
Joseph J Monzo
Transportation Captain
Robert Morey
Assistant Camera Operator
James C Motty
Production Assistant
Linda Murphy
Boom Operator
Carla Neary
Other
Rick Neff
Camera Operator
Elisa Nevel-demarest
Scenic Artist
Peter Norman
Camera Operator
Chris Norr
Camera Trainee
Julie Offer
Projectionist
Dawn A Oltamn
Sound Editor
Jimmy Otis
Location Assistant
Teresita Pajarillga
Accountant
James J. Passanante
Foreman
Paul Pav
Location Manager
Kathy Petty
Accounting Assistant
Susan Picket
Production Assistant
John S Platt
Stunts
Kaye Pownall
Hair
Billy Puzo
Scenic Artist
Jane Raab
Production Coordinator
Steve Randolph
Camera Operator
Scott Rathner
Assistant Camera Operator
Lex Rawlins
Assistant Camera Operator
Philip E Read
Construction Coordinator
C Andrew Reeder
Assistant Director
Brian Reeves
Music
Christopher Regan
Visual Effects
Gintar Repecka
Special Effects
Eric Roberts
Special Effects
John Robotham
Stunts
Paul Rylander
Props
Ray Sabo
Negative Cutting
Matthew Salvato
Location Assistant
Stephanie Samuel
Production
Paige Sartorius
Sound Editor
James Sbardellati
Assistant Director
Film Details
Also Known As
Fletch 2, Fletch II, Fletch är tillbaka
MPAA Rating
Genre
Comedy
Romance
Sequel
Thriller
Release Date
1989
Production Company
John Agalsoff
Distribution Company
Universal Pictures
Location
Universal City Studios, Los Angeles, California, USA; Lafourche Parish, Louisiana, USA; Kaufman Astoria Studios, Astoria, New York, USA; New Jersey, USA
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 35m
Articles
TCM Remembers - Michael Ritchie
TCM Remembers - Michael Ritchie
Director Michael Ritchie died April 16th at the age of 62. A Wisconsin native, Ritchie studied at Harvard before succumbing to the attractions of the theatre. He started working in television during the 1960s where he directed episodes of The Big Valley and The Man from UNCLE among others. He moved into feature films with Downhill Racer (1969) at star Robert Redford's invitation and later directed Redford again in The Candidate (1972). The latter is a classic look at American political life that hasn't lost any of its power or insights over the years. This was the start of Ritchie's most productive period when he made several films that were both popular and critically acclaimed. You can find his sly wit and sense of critical drama in Smile (1975), The Bad News Bears (1976) and Semi-Tough (1978). By the 1980s, though, Ritchie's films focused less on social criticism and more on stars. The Survivors (1983) with Robin Williams remains under-rated but Ritchie-directed vehicles for Eddie Murphy (1986's The Golden Child), Bette Midler (1980's Divine Madness) and Chevy Chase (two Fletch films) didn't quite achieve their potential. Some of the old Ritchie spark and intelligence appeared in the made-for-cable The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom (1993) which earned him a Directors Guild Award. One of his final films was the long-awaited screen adaptation of The Fantasticks (1995) which partly brought Ritchie back to his theatrical roots.
ANN SOTHERN: 1909 - 2001
Actress Ann Sothern passed away on March 15th at the age of 89. Her film career spanned sixty years and included a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination for The Whales of August (1987) and several Emmy nominations for her roles in the TV shows Private Secretary (1953) and The Ann Sothern Show (1958). Sothern was born as Harriette Lake in North Dakota. She made her first film appearance in 1927 in small roles (so small, in fact, that some sources omit any films before 1929) before deciding to work on Broadway instead. Shortly afterwards she signed with Columbia Pictures where studio head Harry Cohn insisted she change her name because there were already too many actors with the last name of Lake. So "Ann" came from her mother's name Annette and "Sothern" from Shakespearean actor E.H. Sothern. For most of the 1930s she appeared in light comedies working with Eddie Cantor, Maurice Chevalier, Mickey Rooney and Fredric March. However, it wasn't until she switched to MGM (after a brief period with RKO) and made the film Maisie (1939) that Sothern hit pay dirt. It proved enormously popular and led to a series of nine more films through 1947 when she moved into dramas and musicals. During the 50s, Sothern made a mark with her TV series but returned to mostly second tier movies in the 1960s and 1970s. Finally she earned an Oscar nomination for her work in 1987's The Whales of August (in which, incidentally, her daughter Tisha Sterling played her at an earlier age). Turner Classic Movies plans to host a retrospective film tribute to her in July. Check back for details in June.
Quotes
Trivia
Miscellaneous Notes
Released in United States Spring March 17, 1989
Released in United States on Video September 14, 1989
Released in United States March 11, 1989
Shown at Santa Barbara International Film Festival March 11, 1989.
Began shooting June 6, 1988.
Released in United States Spring March 17, 1989
Released in United States on Video September 14, 1989
Released in United States March 11, 1989 (Shown at Santa Barbara International Film Festival March 11, 1989.)
